Welcome back, Quakes fans, to another year of MLS soccer in the Bay Area. More importantly, welcome back to another year of "Diary," the official unofficial account of what really goes on around your beloved Quakes. I know Pat Onstad was the voice of the Quakes diary last year, so I definitely have big shoes to fill. If my first couple of segments are unbelievably boring or just plain stoopid (see?), I'm sure I could talk Pat into ghostwriting for a few weeks. He has been my roommate over the last few trips, and I'm sure I could bribe him with a few packs of trail mix or an occasional pint (Gatorade, of course). Anyway, it seems fitting that the first installment is focused on what's been going on with us over the last two months - PRESEASON!
PRESEASON! is the time for teams to find their identity for the upcoming campaign. I could go through our entire preseason, stage by stage, but basically we trained a lot, played a bunch of games, and prepared the team for opening night. One of the real highlights of PRESEASON! for players, though, is the chance to catch up with former college teammates or guys you've played with in the league. Granted, there is not much opportunity to get into any real conversation, because you are either coming or going from training, and only see each other for a few minutes. For example, I saw Jimmy Conrad as we were leaving the training pitch in Bradenton and Kansas City was just arriving.
Here is a summary of our conversation:
Wade: "What up JC? Long time no see!"
Jimmy: "Man, good to see you WB. How are things?"
Wade: "Things are cool. You?"
Jimmy: "Cool as the breeze."
Wade: "Sweet."
Jimmy: "Sweet."
This from someone I consider a good friend. Even if you have more time, someone else always walks up and says hi, and you get shifted down the line to second chair just like the first guest on Leno. Maybe you make a stray comment, but basically you're old news. Soon enough you just drift away, maybe give a shout goodbye, and pass into former teammate oblivion. All that being said, it is still good to see those guys, and a few words in passing is better than nothing.
I do think it's important to note that while PRESEASON! is about hard work for the coming year, it's also about the stories that inevitably come from all that time together. Who can forget Marcelo Vega (remember him?) hiding out behind some bushes at our PRESEASON! run at Rancho San Antonio in 1999, and popping out to join the leaders an eighth of a mile from the finish. Say one thing for the man, though, he was crafty. How about the back tire on the 15-passenger van that Troy Dayak was driving in 2001 PRESEASON! that decided it had had enough time with the other three tires, and popped off and chased the van down the highway? "Hey Troy, isn't that our tire making an illegal pass in the left lane?"
Ian Russell's sighting of a "monster" alligator in Charleston this year was discounted as the ravings of a mad fisherman until our team walk on the day of the first game almost ended prematurely with Brad Davis caught in a death roll. That gator must have been 15 feet long (no lie!).
Sorry to go on and on. That's it for this week. Stay tuned for the next episode ...
